


En Pointe | Pas de deux

by sobermeup



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Ballet, F/M, Merlin is whiny, please don't yell at me I know nothing about ballet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-19 13:28:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9442889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sobermeup/pseuds/sobermeup
Summary: Oh boy. it's so short im sorry, i just wanted to get something posted, so soo sorryalso, chap title is the song





	1. Sleeping Beauty

"On the tips of your toes, now. Let's see en pointe." Merlin holds his hands behind his back as he watches Roxy go up on her toes.

"Good, Roxy, now low arabesque." Roxy lifts her right leg back as she holds onto the bar, "Forty five. Now ninety. C'mon Roxy. Make your leg straight."

"Merlin," Roxy's tone is sassy. She struggles to straighten her leg.

"You wanted to work on this, now straighten your leg." He walks over to her and straightens her leg with his hands.

"Mm, I change my mind, Merlin. I don't wanna work on my arabesque." He tsks and helps her put her leg back down. She goes flat footed and takes a deep breath.

Merlin has been teaching Roxy ballet since she was five years old. Fifteen years later she's a twenty year old university student, studying psychology. She won't stop doing ballet though. She hasn't performed for anyone but Merlin since she was 18, but she still loves dancing. And she _quite_ enjoys being around Merlin.

"Tell me again how you got the part in Sleeping Beauty." She asks. She's heard this story many times, but she loves it.

"The company I was dancing with had me as an extra in one of the scenes. I was very close friends with another extra called Amelia. She and I found great joy in dancing the Pas De Deux. We didn't do it perfectly but we loved doing it." Merlin continues his story as Roxy walks over to her bag. She has a soft smile on her face as she unties her ballet shoes.

"The man originally playing the Prince loved to show off. He was showing off to some ladies and he broke his ankle. They had an understudy of course, but it turned out that he loved to do illegal drugs. They began searching frantically for a man to play the Prince. Amelia and I were messing around, dancing the Pas De Duex and the Ballet Master just happened to watch. He was quite impressed with my dancing and I was immediately taken in to be the Prince. Amelia was so happy for me, she-"

"Bought you roses and champagne. She drank so much champagne that she threw up on your pointe shoes. Seeing as this was a huge disaster-"

"If you're going to interrupt me, then I just won't tell the story." Merlin huffs, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at Roxy.

"I can't help it, it's just so romantic. You were nineteen years old, you had received a titular role, and you got new pointe shoes for free. I mean, it's every ballerino's dream isn't it?"

Merlin's smile is tight and Roxy suddenly feels extremely guilty. He broke his foot and ankle in a car crash and was unable to dance ever again. Roxy toes off her slippers and pads over to Merlin.

"I'm fine, Roxy. You're right. It was the dream. But, people have to retire eventually. Don't go thinking I'm all going all soft on you, now."

"Of course not. You? Going soft? There's no way." She grabs his hand and lazily does the beginning of the pas de deux he's speaking of.

"Roxy, you've already taken off your shoes. You can't dance the pas de deux without your shoes." Merlin watches as she continued to do the dance without standing en pointe. She stops when it gets to the point where Merlin has to participate and he doesn't.

"It's just so fun. It's my favorite dance. I'm so glad you taught me."

He spins her around and dips her, giving her a disapproving look as he does so. She giggles.

"I'm beginning to regret that decision."

"Whatever, you like someone fawning over you like they used to. Don't deny it."

He smiles, and she refrains from gasping at how close they are. "You just like fawning over me."

He stands her back up and walks away from her. She's sure a blush is covering her cheeks. She hinted at her crush on him back when she was seventeen, and he did nothing. The crush has since developed into full blown unrequited love. Roxy has noticed lately that he's touching her less. It concerns her, she feels like he knows how she feels. Or even worse, he knows that it's him she pictures when-

God, she can't even begin to describe how humiliating it'd be if he knew. She is able to look him in the eyes, but if he knew... She'd die.

Merlin picks up his water bottle and takes a drink, then he turns back to her. She doesn't look at him, she sits on the floor, putting her shoes in her bag. She pulls out her socks and slips them on. Merlin walks closer to her. She slips on her shoes. A hand comes into her view. She follows it up the arm, and Merlin looks at her expectantly. She grabs her hand and he helps her up. On the way up, he subtly pulls her closer. She flushes when she realize how close they are standing.

"Roxy... Why do you still come here?" He leans in a teeny bit closer. She turns her face down and away. The reflection of their feet in the studio's startles her. She follows their legs upwards. Merlin squeezes her hand ever so slightly. Roxy looks back to him.

"I... would miss you, i-if I stopped." She whispers. Merlin blinks at her for a moment.

"Yes, but you... you have this glorious talent, and- and you don't perform. You shrug off any competitions or showcases. You just dance here... Why?" Roxy gently pushes away, and bends to pick her things up.

"Um... I... " she sighs and stands, she's right back there in that space. It's intoxicating. Her palms are sweating. "I enjoy dancing, but it's not about performing. I just like dancing here with you." She steps out of their little bubble and towards the studio doors. She is stopped by a hand on her arm. Merlin steps back into that bubble. Roxy does gasp this time.

"For me, you mean." The whisper sounds so fragile. Roxy feels almost responsible to catch the words, to not let them fall. She flushes deeply. He won't look her in the eyes. So many scenarios flood through her head. So many things could happen. She could kiss him and he could kiss her back and it could escalate- or she could kiss him and he could reject her. He could kiss her. He could mean nothing by this except a continuation of their teasing from earlier.

Roxy pulls her arm back a little. He gets the idea and lets go. Again, she steps out of the bubble and turns away. She squeezes her eyes shut and wishes time would stop.

"Damn, Merlin. I didn't realize your ego was so big." She turns back to him and punches him lightly in the arm. "I do enjoy dancing, you know. It's not all about you, God." She chuckles, trying to make her 'joke' convincing. He doesn't turn to look at her.

"Right."

"I've got to finish a paper so..." She pauses, hoping for a response, he just tilts his head towards her, "See you next week?" He nods. She walks to the door, and pauses, hoping for a response. Clearly she made the wrong decision. His indifference could mean anything. "Bye, Merlin." She turns and looks into the mirror across the room, hoping to see his face. He doesn't look up still.

"Goodbye, Roxy."


	2. Thais: Meditation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. it's so short im sorry, i just wanted to get something posted, so soo sorry
> 
> also, chap title is the song

As Thursday approaches Roxy begins to grow more nervous. She wants to see Merlin, but she's scared about what'll happen. As each day passes her image of what's going to happen worsens. She gets a text, early Wednesday morning from Merlin. 

'Hello, I've had something come up. A family thing. I know it's late notice, but could you come today instead of tomorrow?'

'Yes, of course. Is everything okay?'

'Yes. Mostly. Is moving your practice forward an hour okay?'

'Yes. See you then.'

Roxy isn't surprised by lack of reply to her last text, but she doesn't know what to expect. She has to go a day, and hour earlier. They'd only switched practices around when she was younger and going to competitions. 

Her routine doesn't change, though. She just doesn't take a nap after her shower. She doesn't have the whole hour to get ready, so her hair is wet when she puts it up in bun. She looks at herself in the mirror one last time and leaves her flat. 

When she pushes the studio door open she finds it empty. It's strange to her, Merlin is always there. He's always on time. He doesn't like tardiness. She’s adopted that herself. Early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable. She sets her bag down and begins to put on her shoes. 

“Hello, Roxanne.” Merlin’s voice shocks Roxy. She jumps and turns to look at him. Her heart races. Here it is. She’s been preparing for this- “Let’s begin.” What?! He’s just going to go on like nothing happened. She’s been stressing all week about this, and he’s pretending nothing happened. 

She begins to go through her warm ups, stretching, and flexing. As she does so, Merlin starts playing the music for the dance he’s been teaching her. When she’s done with her stretches she stands. 

“So, I was noticing last week that you were having trouble with the sissonne that I added.” He turns to her and puts his hands behind his back. The typical teacher stance. He takes this stance when he’s concentrating really hard. She wasn’t struggling hard enough with the sissonne for the teacher stance. She will humor him, though. It’s just shocking to her that he’s totally pretending last week didn’t happen. It kind of pisses her off. She dance though, she listens to him and tries to improve. That’s why she’s here. “Yes, good. I’m impressed Roxy. I just would like you to-“ 

“Oh, my God! I’m sorry. I just cannot handle this!” Something inside her breaks. She can’t stand this any longer. It hurts her to see Merlin acting so… normal. She thought he felt the same way. Maybe he was just… stringing her along? “Honestly! Did someone just erase last week from your memory?! I stressed all this past week about what to say to you and what you’d say to me. But you’re going on like nothing happened!” Roxy huffs after her little speech. Merlin looks away from her and sighs. He shakes his head. “What?!” 

“Roxy, I just… I can’t. It’s not right.” 

“N- Wha- Not right?! Merlin, please. You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m not a child anymore. I’m twenty years old! Please just… just acknowledge that something happened last week. That you meant something by your words.” She steps closer to him and frowns. How could he just… for fuck’s sake. 

“They did mean something. But then I did some thinking and, Roxy, darling, you’re too young. You’re too… good. I can’t- It’d be se fucking selfish of me to ask anything of you.” He puts his hand on her face. He caresses her cheek with his thumb. She leans into his touch and scoffs softly. 

“Merlin, it’s you. I want you. Why can’t you understand that? It’s been you for years.” She leans into his touch, and ever so closer to him, “I don’t care about the age difference. I don’t care about any argument you could bring up. I don’t care, Merlin. Please, I just want you.” She waits for him to protest further, and when he doesn’t, she leans in and softly places her lips on his. She waits for him to respond, and when he does it’s like everything she’s ever dreamed. Merlin is a wonderful kisser, and his lips feel like silk. The music swirls around them, a flowing breeze of tension and feelings 

He pulls away and shakes his head. He turns and walks towards the wall. He puts his hands on the bar when he reaches them. “Damn it, Roxy. Damn it. I said I can’t. It’s not fair to tempt me like that! Why don’t you ever listen?!” The music reaches it’s climax and Merlin storms back over to her. She gasps. He grabs her arms kisses her again. The music drops out, suddenly soft, broken. Merlin pulls back. “I’m sorry. I can’t. I told you I can’t. I’m sorry. I love you.” 

“Wait! Merlin!” She reaches to grab him, but he pulls away and practically sprints out the door. Roxy scoffs, she sits on the floor trying to process everything. He loves her?

He loves her, but he doesn’t want her.

The music fades as her first tear falls.


End file.
